Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation
The Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in Kent, Ohio. It reported 14 grants totaling $152,202 in 2025, with grants to charitable organizations in Ohio.
Key facts about Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation
In short: Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation gave $152K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Ohio. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-7411378
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $152,202
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- Average grant
- $10,872
- Median grant
- $4,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (3 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $2,917,072
- Primary geography
- Ohio (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.9M
+3.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$152K
+11.3% YoY
Grant Count
14
+7.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+3.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $138K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 14 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 79% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 57% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 127% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including a hospital, a poetry center, family services, hunger-relief organizations, parks and recreation, an animal protective league, and a historical society and museum. The Ben Curtis Family Foundation describes its mission as providing food for local children who may lack food for lunch, dinner, or weekends. Neighborhood Bridges describes its mission as connecting technology and social media with community efforts to meet the needs of children and families.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $152,202. Grant amounts ranged from $1,542 to $50,000, with a median grant of $4,000. Its largest listed grants were $50,000 to University Hospitals, $25,000 to Wick Poetry Center at Kent State University, $25,000 to Kevin Coleman Center, $15,000 to Axxess Family Services, and $10,000 to Hunger Challenge.
Other listed 2025 grants included $5,660 to Educational Artistry; $5,000 to Kent Parks & Recreation; $3,000 each to Children’s Advocacy Center of Portage County and Cleveland Animal Protective League; $2,500 each to Friends Fighting Hunger and Kent Historical Society & Museum; and $2,000 to Ben Curtis Family Foundation. Neighborhood Bridges received $1,542.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $115K (2023) to $350K (2022). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $152K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University Hospitals ($50K). Together the top 10 received $144K.
Grant Size Distribution
44 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 40 grants of 44 (91%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University Hospitals Cleveland, OH | General | $50,000 |
| Wick Poetry Center - Kent State University Kent, OH | General | $25,000 |
| Kevin Coleman Center Kent, OH | General | $25,000 |
| Axxess Family Services Ravenna, OH | General | $15,000 |
| Hunger Challenge Ravenna, OH | General | $10,000 |
| Educational Artistry Mechanicsburg, OH | General | $5,660 |
| Kent Parks & Recreation Kent, OH | General | $5,000 |
| Childrens Advocacy Center of Portage County Ravenna, OH | General | $3,000 |
| Cleveland Animal Protective League Cleveland, OH | General | $3,000 |
| Friends Fighting Hunger Ravenna, OH | General | $2,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,917,072 | $319,630 | $229,558 | $152,202 (14 grants) |
| 2024 | $2,819,324 | $241,990 | $210,304 | $136,770 (13 grants) |
| 2023 | $2,743,587 | $74,107 | $183,666 | $115,450 (9 grants) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,917,072 | $2,819,324 | $2,743,587 |
| Revenue | $319,630 | $241,990 | $74,107 |
| Expenses | $229,558 | $210,304 | $183,666 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $175,437 | $159,506 | $136,464 |
| Net Investment Income | $267,309 | $191,192 | $26,905 |
| Distributable Amount | $137,921 | $138,047 | $128,881 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ruth Trowbridge and Robert Riggie as trustees.
Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert Riggie
Trustee
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$21K (2022) → $23K (2025)
Ruth Trowbridge
Trustee
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$21K (2022) → $23K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $23K, to Ruth Trowbridge (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 7374 St Rte 43, Kent, OH 44240
Phone: (330) 715-7696
Frequently asked questions about Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation
How much does Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation give each year?
Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation gave $152K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $137K across 13 grants.
What is Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $10,872, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation give grants?
Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Kent, OH (5 grants), Ravenna, OH (5 grants) and Cleveland, OH (2 grants).
Does Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation's largest grantees?
Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University Hospitals ($50,000), Wick Poetry Center - Kent State University ($25,000) and Kevin Coleman Center ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation?
Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation reported $2.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $175K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $138K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including a hospital, a poetry center, family services, hunger-relief organizations, parks and recreation, an animal protective league, and a historical society and museum. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation's EIN?
Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-7411378. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Does Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Jo Woodward Solem Memorial Foundation by hand.
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